Folks, it’s the First of the month, and that can only mean one thing. It’s time for

Blogging in Formation!

This month’s Topic:

AVIATION IN THE MEDIA—HOW CAN THEY GET IT SO WRONG?

“There are strong political/economic forces afoot in the media’s coverage of aviation-related topics, which has resulted in a lot of so-called “experts” weighing in on matters of which they have little to no understanding. We now see many journalists who have turned themselves into “analysts” after reading a few articles on the internet. Unfortunately, these opinion pieces have an audience and thus the potential to influence regulation and policy.”

The writer at rest: The soon-to-be-a-household-name, author Tawni Waters!

Also before you go, I’d like to tell you about the BEST writer I’ve ever read.

Faulkner? Twain? Hemingway? Petitt?

NO!

You don’t know her yet, but mark my words: by this time next year, author Tawni Waters will be a household name!

Ever since I’ve known Ms. Waters, I’ve been 100% confident that she will join Dickinson, Wolf, King et al, as one of America’s greatest writers.

Just this week, her very first novel was published by Simon & Schuster’s edgy YA Press, Simon Pulse.

I had the great privilege of reading an advanced copy of this novel, and I can unequivocally say, It is ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I’VE EVER READ IN MY LIFE!

Disclaimer: The reason I received an advanced copy, is because I know Ms. Waters personally. We met at a writer’s conference, where I was trying to sell The Last Bush Pilots and she, her new novel, Beauty of the Broken.

Fast forward to today, and that fantastic novel is finally released to the world!

It was published just this week, and already the accolades are pouring in!

Emotionally wrenching!School Library Journal

May be the standard by which all books in this genre will be judged.GoodReads Review

Tawni Waters creates a dark, haunting, yet lovely and wonderful book that will leave you with tears in your eyes and a roller coaster of emotions. Sleepless Reads

Tawni Waters is a wonderful writer who can evoke emotions from the very core of the reader. Weeks after finishing THE BEAUTY OF THE BROKEN, I’m still thinking about it.GoodReads Review

Beauty of the Broken is now available in bookstores worldwide, as well as all online retailers. Since I work exclusively with Amazon for my books, here’s their link, for both print and ebook:

Just so you know, this is not a book about flying. It’s very emotionally intense, and the content may not be for every fan of this blog.

But it is a MUST for the serious literary reader.

It is a contemporary, Young Adult coming-of-age story, about a young woman growing up in rural America. It is a literary novel, and the central theme is very cutting edge. Many will find it disturbing, for different reasons. But it is pure poetry, from beginning to end.

Here’s an excerpt from Amazon’s Book Description:

In this lyrical, heartwrenching story about a forbidden first love, a teen seeks courage despite her small town’s bigotry and her father’s violent threats.

Growing up in conservative, small-town New Mexico, fifteen-year-old Mara was never given the choice to be different. Her parents—an abusive, close-minded father and a detached alcoholic mother—raised Mara to be like all the other girls in Barnaby. Mara wants nothing to do with any of it. She feels most at home with her best friend and older brother, Iggy, but Iggy hasn’t been the same since their father beat him.

As Mara’s mother feeds her denial with bourbon and Iggy struggles with his own demons, Mara finds an escape with her classmate. Just as she begins to live a life she’s only imagined, her world is thrown into chaos.Can Mara live with an entire town who believes she is an abomination worse than the gravest sin?

The closest analogy I can find to this book would be the Pulitzer Prize winning novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Frankly, I believe this book is very much in contention for the same award.

Eric Auxier

Airline pilot by day—Writer by night—Kid by choice!

WELCOME ABOARD!
I'm an A321 captain for a major U.S. airline. I may have over 22,000 hours in the cockpit, but I am still madly in love with flying. Through this blog, I share with you the magic, the joy, and the travails that is the airline pilot career. Life's an adventure—life in the sky, exponentially so!